Friday, 15 April 2011

Winnipeg Terminology

Booter (pronounced bOOt-er): Is when a person is walking through a deep puddle and/or near a lake/river and/or snow bank and happens to soak their foot in the water or snow causing their socks and foot to become soaked with either water or filled with snow. It is very uncomfortable and can usually lead to cold feet, trench foot and/or blisters.

It has been argued, mostly by my Step-Mom who is from Flin-Flon, that one can only achieve a booter if one is wearing boots. She calls booters a Soaker.

Soaker (pronounced soak-er): Is when a person is wearing regular shoes, usually of the runner or skate or tennis or cloth-sided variety, steps in a puddle and/or river or lake and wets their feet through their shoes.

Slurpee (pronounced Slurp-ee): A slushy, deliciously refreshing drink sold at 7-11 convenience stores. It is usually drunk in the summer months however, it is good year long. It is comprised of sugar, sugar, sugar, syrup and some sort of flavouring. Popular flavours include; Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper (Mixed with Coke is my favourite), root beer, Crush grape, orange and cream soda, Sprite, Fruitopia, Code Red Mountain Due and Regular Mountain Due. Flavours are usually combined to suit your taste.

Winnipeg was crowned the Slurpee Capital of the World for the eleventh time in a row in 2010. 7-Eleven stores across Winnipeg sell an average of 188,833 Slurpee drinks per month (Wiki).

The Ex (abbreviation for The Red River Exhibition): A large carnival at comes to the Assiniboia Downs Race track park in late June. It consists of many sketchy carnival rides and brings in a bunch of sketchy people into one area, the demographic age mostly teenagers and tweens. One can buy wristbands at Mac’s Convenience Stores and for around thirty dollars; you can ride every sketchy ride in the park! Some of the favourite rides are Niagara Falls, the Zipper, G Force and that one where you go backwards really fast while the announcer yells “SOMEBODY SCREAM!” whilst blaring techno music.

If you like the smell of engine grease and cotton candy together, then this is the place for you.

The Toad (abbreviation for The Toad in the Hole): Located on 112 Osborne Street, the Toad has become a local and Winnipeg staple in the pub scene. This grimy, cosy little Irish pub is a place where everybody knows your name and when you get slobbering drunk, people will still know your name!

If you aren’t enjoying the atmosphere inside, with its many tables, darts, and pool tables, then I’m sure you will find all sorts of colourful people outside to either yell at you, let you pet their dog or sing you a song any time of the year. One time my friend and I were walking into The Toad, when a homeless dude yelled “EH buddy, I’d like to touch your wife’s legs.” Which I thought was weird because I was wearing jeans at the moment. Either way, it is always a good time. I very much enjoy the one dude outside that sings Johnny Cash ALL the time.